Found woman may be murder victim

The death of a woman found floating near Manchester earlier this year is being investigated by Seattle Police as a potential homicide, according to Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Deputy Scott Wilson.

The body of Shanan Lynn Read, a 33-year-old most recently living near Auburn, was found floating in Puget Sound between Manchester and Blake Island by a boater on Jan. 15.

Due to the degraded state of the remains, identification of Read — who had not been reported missing — was difficult. Her identity was eventually determined after her fingerprints were retrieved and found on file due to an arrest in King County.

From the beginning, Wilson said his office was investigating her death as “suspicious,” and said now authorities believe it is a possible homicide.

He said through their investigation, detectives determined Read’s death occurred in Seattle, though it is still unknown how she came to be in Kitsap County waters.

Since the death — and potential crime — occurred in Seattle, however, Wilson said the case has now been officially turned over to the Seattle Police Department’s homicide division.

A boater reportedly first spotted Read’s body floating midway between Manchester and Blake Island on Jan. 15, and it was later retrieved by deputies shortly before 4 p.m. No identification was found on the body, and the sex was determined based on clothing.

Wilson said identification of Read was ultimately established with assistance from the Washington State Patrol’s Crime Lab in Olympia, which was ultimately able to obtain fingerprints.

Read’s physical description, according to her driver’s license, is 5-8, 130 pounds, with brown hair and eyes.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.